Apparatus for flushing cisterns



Aug. 19, 1969 A. c. FISHER APPARATUS FOR FLUSHING CISTERNS 2Sheets-Shoot 1 Filed July 12. 1966 8- 19, 6 A. c. FISHER 3,461,465

APIARATUS FOR FLUSHING GISTERNS Filed M912. 1966 2 Sheets-Shut 2 UnitedStates Patent Office Patented Aug. 19, 1969 US. Cl. 4-58 8 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for flushing cisterns which hasa valve cOntrolling the entry of water into the cistern and a waterdischarge fitting mounted on the floor of the cistern. A

submergible float of general U-shaped configuration having hollow sidemembers, an open-topped .compartment communication with the interiors ofthe side members, a flexible conduit means interconnecting theopentopped compartment to the water discharge fitting and manual controlmeans for submerging the float to effect flushing.

The present invention relates to apparatus for flushing cisterns.

The object of the invention is to provide apparatus as referred to abovewhich is of simple construction, positive in action and easy to operate.

The invention consists in apparatus for flushing cisterns comprising, avalve controlling the entry of water into the cistern, a water dischargefitting mounted on the floor of the cistern, a submergible float,flexible conduit means interconnecting the float and water dischargefitting, and manually controlled means for submerging the float toeffect flushing.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a flushing cistern according to thepresent invention,

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view, similar to FIGURE 1, but showing amodified form thereof, and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a cover having a volume controlmechanism.

In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient mode,by way of example, the apparatus comprises a cistern 10 for holding theflushing water with a discharge fitting 11 mounted on the floor 12thereof and a known type of float-operated valve 13 mounted in an endwall 14 of the cistern 10 controlling the entry of the water.Preferably, the water enters the cistern 10 through a conventionalsilencer tube 15 screwed into the body of the valve 13.

A float 16 of generally U-shaped configuration has hollow side members17 interconnected at one end by a hollow member 18 and a wall 19 spacedfrom the member 18. A base 20 extending between the side members 17 andthe member 18 and wall 19 forms an opentopped compartment 21.

The compartment 21 communicates with the interior of the hollow sidemembers 17 and the latter each have an aperture 22 in their uppersurface at the end remote from the chamber 21.

A strut 23 having a ledge 24 interconnects the side members 17 at theend adjacent their respective apertures 22 and a further strut 25,positioned between the strut 23 and the chamber 21, is hingedlyconnected by means of an arm 26 to the inlet valve 13 so that with thefloat 16 resting on the floor 12 of the cistern 10 the valve 13 is open,permitting the entry of water into the cistern 10, whilst as the float16 rises the valve 13 is gradually closed until a predetermined level ofwater is reached in the cistern 10 when the valve 13 is closed.

An aperture in the wall 19 of the compartment 21 is connected by meansof a flexible pipe 27 to the water discharge fitting 11 in the floor 12of the cistern 10.

The cover or top 28 of the cistern 10 has a downwardly extendingcylindrical boss 29 in which is slidably mounted an operating button 30to which is rigidly connected a pushrod 31 having a float-engagingportion 32. A spring 33 urges the button 30 and associated pushrod 31upwardly, whilst a projection 34 on the boss 29 engages a slot 35 in thebutton 30 to retain the latter in position. p

In operation, when a flush is required, the button 30 is depressed whichcauses the portion 32 of the pushrod 31 to engage the ledge 24 on thestrut 23 and so lowers that end of the float 16 just enough to submergeit so that the water flows into the interior of the hollow side members17 through the apertures 22 and the float sinks to the bottom of thecistern 10'. With the float in this position the water in the cisternpasses into the float through the apertures 22 and compartment 21 andthen, from the compartment 21, through the flexible pipe 27 and outthrough the discharge fitting 11.

As is usual, the rate of flow of the outgoing water is far greater thanthe rate of flow of the Water entering the cistern 10 through the inletvalve 13 and, therefore, the level in the cistern is rapidly lowered.When the level reaches the top of the float, the volume of water insidethe float rapidly decreases, the buoyancy of the float is re-establishedand it rises to float on the surface of the water once more, hencepreventing further discharge through the fitting 11.

The valve 13 is now open and water enters the cistern through thesilencer tube 15. The float '16 and its associated arm 26 rise with thelevel of the water until the required level is reached, when the valve13 is again closed by the action of the arm 26.

In the modified construction shown in FIG. 2, components similar tothose shown in FIG. 1 have been given similar reference numerals and thefollowing description only deals with the differences in constructionand operation of the two embodiments.

In FIG. 2 the arm 26 is pivotally connected to a bracket 36 mounted onthe end wall 14 of the cistern 10 and the valve 13 is controlled by aconventional ball float 37 and lever 38 arrangement.

In operation of the construction shown in FIG. 2, when the button 30 isdepressed, the float 16 is submerged and the water in the cistern 10passes out into the discharge fitting 11 through the hollow float 16 asdescribed above. The consequent lowering of the level of the water inthe cistern 10 causes the ball float 37 to drop, which in turn opens thevalve 13 and allows water to enter the cistern through the silencertube.

The float 16 and ball float 37 rise together until the required waterlevel is reached, when the valve 13 is again closed by the action of thelever 38 associated with the ball float 37.

The present invention may also be applied to what is known as amulti-flush cistern in which a predetermined amount of the flushingwater contained in the cistern is used upon operation of the control. Inthis construction, a further button 39 and pushrod 41 as shown in FIG. 3is mounted on the cover 28. The button 39 is a tight sliding fit in aboss 40 and preferably bears indicia showing the volume of water whichwill be discharged from the cistern for any given position of the button39. The pushrod 41 is cranked through and the lower end thereof ispositioned beneath the float 16 so that if, for example, only half thewater in the cistern is to be used, the lower end of the pushrod 41 ispositioned by the button 39 to the requisite level to prevent 3 thefloat 16 falling to the bottom 01 the cistern 10 after it has beensubmerged.

It will be readily appreciated that changes may be made in theconstruction of the apparatus without eflecting its basic principle ofoperation and some of these changes are detailed below.

Preferably, the flexible pipe 27 is of corrugated form moulded from asynthetic resinous material, but if desired, a rigid tube having aflexible coupling at one, or each, end may be used.

If required, the float 16 may have additional buoyancy by providing anair-tight compartment. Furthermore, the base of the float 16 is shapedso that it falls from both ends towards the aperture in the wall 19which minimizes the amount of water retained in the float 16 when it isnot submerged.

It will be readily appreciated that the float must have a densityslightly greater than the density of water to ensure it will drop to thebottom of the cistern. This can be achieved either by making the floatfrom a material having the required density, or by weighting the float.Furthermore, the top of the float may be completely open.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for flushing cisterns comprising a valve controlling theentry of Water into the cistern, :1 water discharge fitting mounted onthe floor of the cistern, a submergible float of generally U-shapedconfiguration having hollow side members interconnected at one end by afurther hollow member forming one side of an opentopped compartmentwhich communicates with the interior of said side members, flexibleconduit means interconnecting said open-topped compartment and waterdischarge fitting, and manually controlled means for submerging thefloat to effect flushing,

2. Apparatus for flushing cisterns as claimed in claim 1, wherein thesubmergible float is pivotall connected to said valve.

3, Apparatus for flushing cisterns as claimed in claim 1, wherein thesubmergible float is pivotally connected to an end wall of said cisternand a ball float has an associated lever pivotally connected to saidvalve.

4. Apparatus for flushing cisterns as claimed in claim 1, wherein anaperture is provided in the upper surface of each side member at the endremote from said compartment.

5. Apparatus for flushing cisterns as claimed in claim 1, wherein astrut interconnecting said sidemembers is adapted to be engaged by saidmanually controlled means.

6. Apparatus for flushing cisterns as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidmanually operated means comprises a button slidably mounted in the coverof said cistern with a pushrod which is adapted to engage saidsubmergible float rigidly connected to said button.

7. Apparatus for flushing cisterns as claimed in claim 1, whereinmeansare provided for controlling the volume of water discharge from saidcistern.

8. Apparatus for flushing cisterns as claimed in claim 7, wherein saidmeans comprises a button and associated push-rod slidably mounted in thecover of said cistern, the push-rod being cranked at its lower end andpositioned beneath said submergible float to prevent, if necessary, thefloat falling to the bottom of the cistern after it has been submerged.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 815,661 3/1906 Vissing 4-183,280,407 10/1966 Aaron 458 2,527,909 10/1950 Bowers 458 2,795,2376/1957 Corbin 456 FOREIGN PATENTS 397,552 2/1966 Norway.

345,311 4/1960 Switzerland.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner HENRY K. ARTIS, Assistant ExaminerUS. Cl. X.R. 4-56

